A Beginner’s Guide To Backpacking

One of the best ways to truly get in touch with nature is by backpacking. Putting all of your belongings on your back and heading into the wilderness is an experience you won’t forget. In order to have a successful trip, you need to know the basics. Here is a beginner’s guide to backpacking!

Pick the right location

Before you even begin to gather all of your gear, you need a place to backpack. This is where a lot of the creative freedom comes in. Whether you want to stay close to home or get on a plane and go across the globe, it is really up to you. That is the fun of backpacking.

Especially as a beginner, you may want to pick a spot that isn’t too off the grid or difficult to navigate. If you have an experienced friend group, you can afford to venture out a bit more, but if your group is also new to the game, keep it close and keep it safe.

On a more specific level, stick to established campsites. These will be safer and there will be less chance of something unfortunate happening. As women we all know we constantly need to be aware of their surroundings, this also needs to happen in the wilderness. It is easy to get complacent, but there can still be interactions when you’re off the beaten path.

Assemble the appropriate gear

There is a pretty long list of gear needed when backpacking. Each one serves specific and important purposes. Some necessary backpacking gear include:

• Backpack
• Tent
• Sleeping bag
• Clothes
• Food
• Cooking gear
• Water purifying tablets
• So much more

This is just a short list of gear needed when backpacking.

One very important member of this list is hygiene products. Anytime you are in the outdoors, you need to be prepared. Having pads and tampons are crucial when backpacking, especially when you are out for days at a time. You never know when your period could pop up, and that is one thing that can completely ruin a trip if you aren’t ready for it.

Find the best food

A common misconception about backpacking is that there is a lack of “real” food and you simply survive on granola bars and dried fruit. This is not the case at all.

There are fantastic companies like Mountain House and Backpackers Pantry that prepare dehydrated meals that are actually delicious. Things like beef stroganoff, spaghetti and meatballs, egg skillets, and so much more are on the menu.

All you have to do is add boiling water and stir. Then you are done! It is a quick and easy way to get necessary calories and nutrients that cannot come from energy bars.

Enjoy nature!

Now that you have some basic knowledge about backpacking, the last step is to simply enjoy yourself! Backpacking allows you to explore some of the most beautiful places in the entire world. Remember to practice Leave No Trace in order to preserve the natural beauty of our planet.